The present invention is directed to a system for informing a user of the status and characteristics of a product such as a consumable product. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a system for notifying a user, via a printing operation, that a customer replaceable unit (CRU) should be reordered. The system provides ready accessibility to a variety of information to aid the user in purchasing a replacement cartridge, bottle, printhead, or photoreceptor.
Reference is made to copending application, Serial No. (Attorney Docket D/99833Q), entitled, METHOD FOR PROVIDING INFORMATION FOR A CUSTOMER REPLACEABLE UNIT, filed concurrently herewith, and the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference.
A user may be informed when a marking material in a CRU is at a level too low to confidently print any further jobs. Once a user is signaled of a problem, a further problem is that, at a time of recognized need, the user may not have the necessary information readily in their possession in order to make a decision with respect to a replacement CRU. For example, the user may not possess the manufacturer""s recommended CRU replacement model, the user may not know where to order the CRU, the user may not have the CRU manufacturer or vendor(s) contact information, the user may not know how to remove and recycle the CRU, or the user may not know how to install the replacement CRU. Such beneficial information is most useful when a user is notified that a CRU will soon run out of a substance or when the CRU is at or near the end of its useful life.
In view of these problems, the present invention proposes a system which provides a user with various useful information concerning the CRU in the form of a printed document. The system makes the CRU information available to the user at the source of the problem, and at an identified time of need in the printing machine. The information is provided in one convenient place, in the form of a printed document.
Various monitoring systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,106,088; 6,016,409; 5,918,085; 5,636,032; 5,283,513; RE35,751; 5,272,503; 5,204,699; 5,204,698; 4,961,088; 4,908,666; 4,847,659; 4,468,112; and 3,409,901.
All documents cited herein, including the foregoing, are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
The present invention relates to embodiments of a system which provide a user with useful information in the form of a printed document concerning, for example, the status, configuration, or availability of a CRU. The system provides a printed document to a user to identify a problem such as an imminent end of life of the CRU and aids the user in, for example, ordering a replacement CRU.
In aspects of the present invention, there is provided:
An apparatus including a component and a memory storage device. The apparatus is for use in a printing or copying machine and in embodiments of other machines and systems. The memory storage device is functionally associated with the component and contains data including an identification code of the apparatus. The identification code of the apparatus is electronically readable;
A printing system including a printing machine and a replaceable unit. The replaceable unit comprises: (a) a container for containing a marking substance used in printing process in the printing machine in which the container has a first volume of substance prior to use in the printing machine and a second volume of substance less than the first volume after use; and (b) a memory storage device functionally associated with the container in which the memory storage device includes data about the customer replaceable unit. The replaceable unit communicates with the printing machine. The printing machine produces a human readable document upon reaching a threshold volume of substance in the container. The document includes: (a) an indication of a condition of the replaceable unit; and (b) at least one of: (1) an identification code for the replaceable unit; and (2) order information for a replaceable unit;
A printing system including an electrostatographic machine and a customer replaceable unit. The customer replaceable unit including a memory storage device. The memory storage device including data about the customer replaceable unit. The customer replaceable unit communicates electronically with the electrostatographic machine. The electrostatographic machine produces a human readable document including order information for the customer replaceable unit upon a condition in the customer replaceable unit;
A xerographic apparatus including a customer replaceable component including a memory containing data for identifying characteristics of the customer replaceable component. The xerographic apparatus produces a document including the data. The data relates to at least one of ordering, returning, using, and installing a replacement customer replaceable component; and
A marking system including a replaceable component and a memory and sensor system associated with the container. The replaceable component comprises a container for containing a substance used in the marking system. The memory and sensor system is for: (a) recording a first count of events that the replaceable component has functioned in; (b) recording a second count of events that the replaceable component is capable of functioning in; (c) comparing the first value to the second value; and (d) providing data about the replaceable component. The memory and sensor system and the marking system electronically communicate. The marking system prints a human readable document containing information about the replaceable component when the first count is between about 50% to about 100% of the second count.
Still other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention and methods of construction of the same will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and the information presented herein. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments and methods of construction, and its several details are capable of modification in various obvious respects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawing and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.